Secret Identity
by MarieNymph
Summary: Just when Ash and Misty have developed a deep relationship, Ash is asked to do something that could not only jeopardize their future as a couple, but their futures, period. Please read and review!
1. The Beginning

**Secret Identity  
**  
**Author's Note:** Hi! This is one of my first AAMR so I hope it satisfies all you Ash and Misty lovers out there. It's got a lot of facets to it, humor, romance, adventure, so hopefully you can find something you like in it. Also, I have to admit, I am a little behind in the actual Pokemon TV show.  I'm basically inventing some of my own rules in this first part so that the rest of the story has some structure, so if it seems strange or incorrect, please just bear with me. If you do have any suggestions of how to fix it so that it would be more similar to what's really happening, feel free to let me know. And now, on with the fic…

  
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         The crowd roared. Ash felt the adrenaline rush that crashed through him like a tidal wave whenever he won a battle. He was so close, one more battle and he would win his third Pokemon League championship in a row--Orange League, Johto, and with one more win the Hoenn League. According to new rules issued by the IPLA (International Pokemon League Association), three league wins in a row merited the coveted opportunity to battle the Elite Four to become the next Pokemon Master.  
  


         He couldn't wait. He knew he could do it, deep inside he felt himself almost boiling over in anticipation of doing something, accomplishing his lifelong dream. It was the one thing he had worked for all these years and he could feel success close enough to touch. A new, tingling sensation steadily swept through him, causing his fingers to quiver and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up in anticipation. What else could this new feeling possibly mean?  
  


         His intense train of thought was broken as he felt himself being wrapped in a tight embrace. He gazed at her lovingly; the fiery redhead who had so irritated him just a few years ago had transformed into a beautiful woman. He often teased her as "His little Butterfree who had come out of her Kakuna." This remark was usually followed by a whack on the head by her handy mallet, thought they both knew it was all in good fun. His eyes followed her legs down for what seemed like an eternity until her tight jeans blossomed out above her ankles and half covered a black pair of chunky heels. Her shirt imitated her jeans when they also flared at her wrist. The sky blue silky top ended abruptly in a knot under her chest, exposing her flat midriff to his admiration. All of her sunset colored hair cascaded down, framing her face in feathery layers.  
  


         "I knew you could do it, Ash, I just knew," she said through teary eyes, "You'll be on your way to the Four before you know it."  
  


         "I hope so, Mist. I can feel it, something's going to happen, something awesome...I'm gonna be the greatest Pokemon Master ever!"  
  


         She smiled softly at his determination. Of all the things that had changed within him since Johto, that dream never had. Shortly after he had won that championship, Brock had been offered a prominent position at Suzie's breeding center, which was booming with business. He had been sorry to leave his friends, but they had all decided it was the best thing for his future and career.  
  


         In the weeks and months that had followed Brock's departure, she and Ash had become closer than ever. Forced to settle their petty differences themselves, with no third party to act as mediator, they had learned a lot about each other. Not that they hadn't still had fights on occasion...his stubbornness plus her temper had the potential to result in some major clashes, similar to the ones that had regularly plagued them throughout their earlier journeys, but they somehow always were able to work things out. 

         After a month and a half, they had decided to take their friendship to the next level and had gone on their first official date on a pleasant evenng in mid-June.  Ash had taken her to a romantic Italian restaurant, then out dancing at the local nightclub. He had planned to take her home then, but neither of them wanted the night to be over. They ended up taking a moonlit walk on the beach and kissing under the stars.  
  


         'It had been perfect,' Misty thought to herself as she reflected on the past, 'Just perfect.'  
  


         From then on, their relationship had only grown deeper. Each of them was slowly, but surely learning to do radical things that they would only have scoffed at when they were younger; compromising, listening to each other before immediately assigning blame, not getting upset over minor everyday annoyances...All these budding maturities had helped not only in the growth of their relationship, but their individual growths as well.  
  


         'After all,' Misty thought, 'We're not little kids anymore. I turned 20 last month and Ash'll be 19 in a couple of weeks."  
  


         Ash watched her serious face for a minute, then smiled as he asked, "Whatcha thinking so hard about Misty?"  
  


         "Oh, you...me....us, " She said, grinning.  
  


         "Ah, my favorite topic, " He replied chuckling as he leaned towards her.  
  


         Misty felt her knees go weak as usual as Ash kissed her. She sighed involuntarily as she felt his tongue gently caress her lower lip, then move on to explore the inside of her mouth. They lost themselves until-  
  


         They began to hear hoots and cat-whistles erupting from around the stadium. They broke apart, curious to see what the commotion was all about. All of the sudden they spotted the giant screens on either side of the stadium that normally allowed the unfortunate fans with poor seats to watch the Pokemon battle up close. At that point in time, however, Ash and Misty were the only ones being watched. The camera had zoomed in for one last close-up of Ash as the winner during their 'private moment' and now the entire stadium was getting an up close and personal view of their embrace.  
  


         They both blushed deeply as they remembered that they were still standing in the middle of the arena.  
  


         "Whoops," Misty whispered, "Maybe we should take this somewhere more private."  
  


         Ash nodded embarrassedly in agreement and led her out of the arena after one final victory wave at the crowd.  
  


         They half-ran giddily through the tunnel that led to the parking lot. Just as they were about to come to the door, a dark figure stepped out from the shadows and stood in front of them  
  
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         Like it so far? Hate it? Wanna know...Are Ash's premonitions all they seem? Will he achieve his goal to become a Pokemon master? Will he and Misty get time alone together? And who is this mysterious figure? Well then, read the next chapter! -   
  


         And please review once you have read all I have posted of the story! :)


	2. The Stranger

         **Secret Identity**

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         Ash drew a protective arm around Misty and warily stepped back.  
  


         "Who are you?"  
  


         "Ashton Michael Ketchum of Pallet Town, I presume?"  
  


         "Yeah, that's me," Ash replied carefully, "What do you want?"  
  


         "I need to talk to you, " he said solemnly. "Alone, " he added with a pointed glance at Misty.  
  


         "Look, first of all, whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of Misty. Second of all, I have no idea who you are and I am not about to go off with a complete stranger in a trench coat who lurks around dark tunnels, okay? I've had plenty of experience with Team Rocket and the like in my lifetime."  
  


         The stranger reached inside his coat and pulled out a badge. He flipped it open and said,  
  


         "Agent Branton, VUIA, Viridian Undercover Intelligence Agency, Special Crimes division."  
  


         "VUIA? I've never heard of that before, " Misty responded doubtfully.  
  


         "Well, I should hope not," Branton replied, "It's a secret branch of the VPD, only very few people outside the Agency know of its existence."  
  


         "So, what does that have to do with me?" Ash asked.  
  


         "We'll discuss that at my office, anyone could be listening here. And I must once again insist that only you come with me, " he finished gesturing to Misty.  
  


         She huffed indignantly and looked to Ash for support.  
  


         "Trust me, miss, " Branton continued, "It's for your own safety. You could be a target if any criminals found out that you knew the whereabouts or intent of the Agency."  
  


         Ash sighed, "I hate to say it, Misty, but it looks like I'm gonna have to do this solo."  
  


         "But Ash-"  
  


         "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but he's right. If what all he's said is true about the VUIA, it could be dangerous."  
  


         Now it was Misty's turn to sigh. They had worked a lot of things out in their relationship, but Ash was still so overprotective of her sometimes she wanted to scream. She refrained from that particular course of action right then, however, and just nodded reluctantly.  
  


         "All right, I guess so, Ash...But be careful!" She turned to Agent Branton and said, "Look, buster, if this is some sort of trick, Ash'll wipe you out! He's about to become a Pokemon Master!"  
  


         Agent Branton just smiled mysteriously and said, "That's exactly why we need him."  
  


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         Please review this so that I know whether I should continue!!!!


	3. The Question

         **Secret Identity**

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         Ash looked out the window of the black sedan, trying to figure out where exactly they were headed. He was nervous; it had been a dangerous gamble to trust this man, who could feasibly be just about anyone. Something inside Ash, however, told him that the stranger was not a threat to him.  
  


         The car stopped suddenly outside of what seemed to be an office building. In fact, Ash knew people who worked on this street, maybe in this very place.

         Once inside, and after he had assured himself that they hadn't been followed, Agent Branton smiled wryly at Ash, "Expecting an abandoned warehouse or secret hideout?" At a sheepish smile from Ash he continued, "Yeah, well, that's where everyone would think to look. If any crime boss in this city discovered our existence and decided to search for our headquarters, where would they look? Certainly not an uptown office building where your Average Joe works 9-5 everyday."  
  


         "Well, if it's a normal office, where do your guys go?" Ash questioned.  
  


         "We've got the 15th and 19th floors all for us, plus we got the whole place after 6. Some of our guys work here during the day, too. The business we're in ain't exactly the work of millionaires."  
  


         Ash nodded as they climbed into the elevator and rose to the 15th level.   
  


         Once out of the elevator, Branton led Ash down a dark corridor and stopped at the second door on his right. Branton pressed a small design at the corner of a WELCOME mat that was placed outside the door. A machine appeared as if by magic next to the doorknob. The agent pressed his hand onto the pad, then entered a code. There was an audible clicking sound and they walked into the room.  
  


         Inside, Ash blinked at the bright contrast between outside the room and inside. The room was bustling with activity. It looked almost like a day at the office, except that it was nearly midnight, the shades were drawn and the only light came from a ceiling full of fluorescent lighting fixtures.  
  


         Ash followed Branton to a door that led to an adjoining office. Branton knocked, responded to the inquiring voice within and the door was opened.  
  


         "So, you got him, Branton?" The voice came from a gray haired man seated behind a dark mahogany desk. He looked to be somewhere in his fifties , but from the look in his eyes , it appeared he had lost none of his edge with age. He was dressed in a charcoal suit, his gray-blue eyes staring straight into Ash's own.  
  


         "Mr. Langsley, sir, Ash Ketchum," Branton introduced, "Ash, this is my boss, Chuck Langsley."  
  


         Ash offered a hand, but Langsley shook his head curtly and said, "I only shake when I know a man's a man. Not sure about you yet."  
  


         Ash wasn't sure how to respond to that, but luckily he didn't have to.  
  


         A woman standing to the left of Langsley spoke. The thirty-some year old brunette was striking. Her dark auburn hair was pulled up in a smooth matronly bun, but proofs of her youth swirled down in curly wisps of escaped locks. She had intense green eyes that seemed to snap as spoke. Her skin was creamy, her lips red, her figure professionally accented in a crisp crimson suit that couldn't help but accentuate her ample curves. Ash had to be snapped out of a trance when he heard her speak and immediately felt guilty when he thought of Misty.  
  


         "There's a reason we brought you here, Mr. Ketchum," she said. "As you know, the crime rate has risen dramatically in the last several months. We know it is the result of the organized crime gang Team Rocket and the fact that certain heads of that organization hold prominent positions in this city."  
  


         "Yeah, like Giovonni," Ash broke in, "He runs the Gym, why don't you arrest him?"  
  


         "We know all about Giovanni and the rest," she continued, "But he's elusive and he's got contacts and strings to pull all over this town. We can never get enough decent evidence to link him to anything that's been going on, let alone convict him."  
  


         "But how does any of this affect me?" Ash asked, confused.  
  


         Langsley, Branton and the woman who had been speaking exchanged glances.  
  


         "Mr. Ketchum, you are a very talented Pokemon trainer. Not only that, but you're smart. And clearly physically fit." Langsley paused for moment. "We think you would be an excellent addition to the Agency."  
  


         Ash stood for a moment, letting their words sink in.  
  


         "So, suppose I agree? What would I do? What do people do around here anyway?"  
  


         Branton spoke. "Look, you heard what Ms. Kelli said, we can never get any hard proof to put Giovonni or any of his goons away for good. That's where you come in."  
  


         Ms. Kelli picked up where Branton had left off. "You would go undercover at Team Rocket, find out their next move, and catch 'em red handed."  
  


         "Undercover?" Ash repeated. "I'm about to become the next Pokemon master. Most of my battles are on TV. My face is in the newspaper. How do you expect me not to be recognized?"  
  


         Langsley didn't answer right away. "Ketchum, do remember Dave Miller? Jim Conners? Margaret Handel? All promising young trainers like you."  
  


         "Yeah, I've heard of them. But they never got to the Four.  After a few great wins, they all just sort of faded from the spotlight..."  
  


         "A few months of laying low, dying their hair, changing their look...We've got each of them stationed in critical branches of Team Rocket. But none of them have been able to break into Giovonni's inner circle."  
  


         Ash gaped at the man. "So you want me to-to..."  
  


         "We think you could do it. That girlfriend of yours is perfect. Tell the world you're getting married, drop out of sight for a while, go blonde, and you're set."  
  


         "But I'd have to-"  
  


         Branton finished for him, "Yes, quit the League you're competing in now before you face the Elite Four. If you beat them, it would be too hard for you to disappear and you'd just be too recognizable." He paused. "No, you could not be a Pokemon Master."  
  
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         Not become a Pokemon Master??? What will Ash decide? If you want to find out, please tell me in your review cause if no one is interested there's no point in finishing the story.


	4. The Explanation

Secret Identity 

  
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         Ash's head was still spinning by the time he got back to his apartment. Give up his dream? He wanted to help those people and he wanted to bring down Team Rocket more than anything; They'd certainly caused enough trouble in his life to deserve it. But how could they ask him to do that?

         He had to sleep. He'd deal with everything in the morning...  
  


         The next day Ash woke up to the smell of bacon and the sound of tinkering in the kitchen. He smiled until memories of the previous night clouded his face.  
  


         He shook it off and tip-toed to the kitchen, silently grabbing Misty around the waist.  
  


         She squealed and swatted him with the spatula she was holding. She tried to squirm out of his tight grip, but only managed to flip around so that she was now face to face with her handsome boyfriend.  
  


         "And just what do you think you are doing, young lady?" She laughed in response, and continued to giggle when Ash playfully licked off a few dabs of pancake batter that had landed on her cheek and neck. 

          "If you want breakfast at all, you're going to have to sit down and stop distracting me, _young man._"

         Reluctantly releasing her, Ash moved to help set the table, and minutes later they were both seated, enjoying the hearty meal Misty had prepared.

         Ash devoured the food quietly, carefully keeping his eyes averted from his girlfriend's expectant stare.

         Awkwardly breaking the silence he asked, "Would you pass the orange juice please, Mist?"

          "Ash.  You know I always love spending time with you, but I confess I didn't just come over here today to serve you breakfast and enjoy your company." Leaning forward, her eyes, the color of the clear sea she loved, probed his own, chocolate hued and at the moment, masked with indecision.

         He didn't reply right away.  With every moment, his resolve to keep Misty out of everything was weakening.  He had woken up with the firm determination to refuse the offer, and therefore had hoped to save Misty from harm entirely.  Langsley had drilled him on the importance of telling nobody what had occurred during his midnight appointment with the VUIA ,and he himself wasn't willing to endanger her in any way.  
  


         "Ash?" Misty repeated, "Ash, what happened last night?"  
  


         "They wouldn't be happy if I told you..."  
  


         "Don't you trust me? You know I wouldn't say or do anything that would hurt you!"  
  


         "No, honey, of course I trust you," he replied, enveloping her small hand in his own from across the table.  "It's just...It's just that if any of this information fell into the wrong hands, you would be a target. I would die if I was the cause of any harm done to you."  
  


         Her pretty brow furrowed and after a minute of gazing the opposite direction, she turned, staring right at him. "Ash, I've told you over and over. Yes, you are my boyfriend. More than that, you're my best friend, you always have been. And yes, we should look out for each other and have each other's backs. But we also have to be honest and open. When we got into this relationship, we automatically accepted the responsibility of listening to and helping with each other's our problems and taking them on as our own." She squeezed his hand as she pleaded with him. "Please, don't carry this all by yourself. Don't say that I can't handle it. I _can_ handle it, and, despite what you may think, I _can_ take care of myself."  
  


         Ash just sighed and raised his eyes from his empty plate. She was right of course. After all, he reasoned, who should he listen to: a strange man he'd never seen before in his life who was asking him to give up everything he'd ever worked for _or_ this gorgeous, caring, and thoughtful girl who he had known since he was 10? Before he had a chance to begin, however, Misty spoke again.  
  


         "Ash, I can survive without you. I can go through the motions of my life and physically stay alive if you're not there. I can even keep myself safe; I'm a smart girl you know. But I can't _live_ without you Ash, really live. Please, I don't need you to be my personal bodyguard, I need you to be my boyfriend, the guy that I'm hopelessly in love with and will hopefully spend the rest of my life with."  
  


         Ash closed his eyes and looked toward the window to hide the tears that Misty's words had evoked. The love that he felt for her swelled up in him so greatly that he took a minute before he spoke, fearing that he might either cry or propose right then and there.  
  


         "I love you so much Misty." He took a breath. "And I promise you will never have to live one day without me." The raw emotion that shone through each of their eyes said the same thing, something too powerful and overwhelming to be spoken aloud.   
  


         So Ash started from the beginning, telling her all about his strange visit to the VUIA headquarters, from its surprising location, to the entry code, to the conversation with Chuck Langsley. After he had finished, they was quiet for a few moments.   
  


         "Wow," she said simply, after a prolonged silence.  
  


         "Yeah, I know..."  
  


         She nodded, apparently deep in thought. Rising from her chair, she told him she needed time to think everything over, and, with a parting kiss, she left the apartment.  
  


         Ash fell back onto his couch, his arms crossed behind his head. After a while, he slowly got up again, his mind filled with uncertainty. 

         Slamming the door behind him, Ash too left his apartment, determined to take a walk and sort things out.  
  


  
         When Ash returned, his shirt was soaked through with sweat and a pounding headache born out of his continued state of indecision put him into an even sourer mood.  Frustrated, he stalked toward the kitchen, nearly overlooking the flashing red light on his answering machine.  
  


         Pushing it, a smile returned to his face, as the pleasant voice of his girlfriend fill the room, "Ash, I know you're probably taking a walk or something to think things through. Don't ask, I've known you forever. But I need you to come over as soon as you get this. I think I've got an idea about that thing we talked about before." And with that, she ended abruptly.   
  


         Puzzled by Misty's cryptic message, Ash nevertheless took a two-minute shower, changed his shirt, and headed out to the house Misty shared with two of her older sisters.

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         If you like it: please review! Please tell me if anyone is interested in the rest!


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